Kaito built its name by helping Crypto Twitter creators quantify something that was previously vibes-only: influence. Now, after a token airdrop that pushed its fully diluted valuation near $2 billion and a forced reckoning with platform policy changes, the company is betting it can do the same thing far beyond crypto.
The pivot centers on Kaito Studio, a tier-based creator-brand marketplace that launched in beta in February 2026 with 16 initial brand partners. It represents a fundamental shift in how Kaito operates and, more importantly, who it serves.
From Yaps to Studio: why Kaito had to change
The platform, founded in 2022 by Yu Hu, originally tackled a real problem: crypto information is scattered across dozens of platforms, communities, and group chats. Kaito used AI to aggregate and analyze all of it, turning noise into signal.
Its breakout feature was the Yaps program, which rewarded active content creators with points for their contributions to Crypto Twitter discourse.
